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Overview
This topic describes the number of remote desktop connections and License-authorized servers in a Windows Server instance.
Detail
Alibaba Cloud reminds you that:
- Before you perform operations that may cause risks, such as modifying instance configurations or data, we recommend that you check the disaster recovery and fault tolerance capabilities of the instances to ensure data security.
- If you modify the configurations and data of instances including but not limited to ECS and RDS instances, we recommend that you create snapshots or enable RDS log backup.
- If you have authorized or submitted security information such as the logon account and password in the Alibaba Cloud Management console, we recommend that you modify such information in a timely manner.
The following describes the remote connections and License authorization servers of Windows servers.
Working mode of the remote desktop service
The remote desktop service has two working modes: Administration Mode and Application Mode, which are suitable for different scenarios.
Administration Mode
The default Windows Server is in this mode after installation. The Server does not require the client to provide a License, but only allows two remote desktop connections.
Application Mode
Microsoft's Windows Server provides a Remote Desktop-based solution similar to Lucene to meet the needs of complex Remote connection scenarios. After you install the Remote Desktop Session service (Remote Desktop Session Host), you can switch the Server to the Application Mode to allow connections without limiting the number of users. By default, the server has a Grace Period of 120 days, which allows remote connections that do not limit the number of users. 120 days later, you must specify a Remote Desktop License server that has Remote Desktop License installed before multiple users can continue to connect. Otherwise, the prompt "because there is no Remote Desktop License server to provide the License, the Remote session was interrupted" is reported. However, you can also use the mstsc/admin command to connect to the remote desktop.
License remote desktop authorization server
If the Remote Desktop session host service is installed on a Windows Server instance, you must specify a Server with the Remote Desktop Authorization Service installed, at the same time, you have installed the Remote Desktop access License (Remote Desktop License) in the Remote Desktop authorization service.
Note: This remote desktop license is different from the license for activating Windows Server. It is divided into "Per Device" and "Per User" modes. Alibaba Cloud ECS does not provide remote desktop access licenses. You need to purchase additional licenses from Microsoft. For more information about remote desktop license server, see Microsoft documentation.
References
The following section describes FAQs related to remote connection.
Handling of full remote desktop connections
You can refer to the following documents for processing.
Logout and switching of remote desktop users
- Open the Windows Task Manager interface through the administrator and log off other user sessions to release the remote connection.
- Or right-click another user to complete the user switchover.
Application scope
- ECS